Burst
by Witknee
Summary: A sleepless night, a bursting water pipe, and a long simmering romance finally comes to a head. C/E
1. Chapter 1

Author's note: This takes place before C/E got together, sometime in season 7. It is part 1 of probably either 2 or 3 chpaters- there is much, muhc more to this story. Rating may change.

Discalimer: Not mine, they belong to CBS and a number of others.

Burst

The circumstances that surrounded the events of the day were simultaneously clear and muddled. Eric felt the light cotton sheets upon his legs and moved to kick them off, attempting to alleviate some of the heat trapped inside of the sheets. The action only served to further tangle the fabric around his limbs, however, and with a frustrated sigh, he threw a sticky, sweat laden forearms over his eyes, trying to keep the images out of his head, to little avail.

He snuck a glance at the clock on the bedside table and audibly groaned when he saw the red numbers staring back at him. It was early- too early- and any sleep he had gotten had been plagued by dreams- nightmares- that left his mind restless and his eyes burning with anger and longing and a deep, tired ache.

Making a decision, he sat up fully in the bed with a heavy sigh, his back flush against the headboard, his head resting upon the top of the oak panel. He looked around in the darkness as another strong flash of images assaulted his vision and he squeezed his eyes closed tightly and cradled his head in his hands. It was then that he allowed the past hours to come rushing to the forefront of his mind for the first time.

The call had come in the morning of his day off, rousing him from his slumber. He entertained the thought of ignoring it for a fleeting moment before accepting that it could be of an important nature and flipped his phone open without even looking at the name that came up on the caller I.D. He answered in his usual fashion, his voice still rough from sleep. When silence greeted him on the other line, he greeted them with a simple, questioning hello, again with no reply. A part of him hoped it was simply a wrong number and as he had his thumb on the red 'end' button, a voice finally came through the line.

"Eric?" a voice called softly, uncertain.

He sat up immediately, suddenly alert.

"Calleigh," he breathed, "What's up… is everything alright?"

He heard a noise on the other end, a rushing of some kind that he couldn't quite identify that was quickly covered by the sound of her nervous chuckle.

"Yeah... um... well, no. I know that it's your day off and this is unbearably rude to have called you this early in the morning but, um… help?"

The drive to BAL Harbor went without incident and quickly parked his car in the visitor's space. Per her instructions, he had worn a pair of old, faded jeans and a ratty college t-shirt- why, he didn't know. In her haste, Calleigh hadn't actually explained why he was coming over; just that she was in dire need of assistance. He took the stairs two at a time and reached her door quickly. He had barely knocked when her heard her voice inviting him in.

He stepped into her tidy apartment but saw no evidence of his co-worker. He called out to her and heard her faint reply coming from somewhere in the back of the apartment. He moved farther back, scanning for any sign of her when his ears picked up on the sound he had heard on the phone- a gentle swishing, rushing sound. It got louder with every step he took and reached its peak as he rounded the entry way to the kitchen. As he rounded the corner, he stopped dead in his tracks at the sight that greeted him.

Calleigh had her back turned to him and she was on her knees, kneeling in front of the open cupboard doors below her kitchen sink. In her hands, she held a towel that was clamped tightly over a large pipe that was currently spewing water all over the small kitchen, the floor, and Calleigh herself. Below her, there had to be a good three inches of standing water that swirled around her bare feet.

He stood there for a few seconds, his mouth a gape, fighting the chuckle that was currently trying to make its way out of his open mouth.

He saw her sigh exasperatedly, her shoulders heaving, and with a quick turn of her head, she shouted his name. As the name came out of her mouth, she saw him out of the corner of her eye and gave a small start, bringing a free hand to her chest to signify her fright. As she did, however, more water gushed out of the pipe and she quickly let the other hand join its partner to quell the leak.

He clamped his mouth shut, forcing down the bubbling laughter in his throat.

"Oh, Eric, thank God! I'm sorry, I didn't know what to do… my super is on vacation, there isn't a damn plumber apparently in Miami that wanted to come to work today, and I couldn't, I don't…"

She spoke quickly, the accent in her voice adding to the frenzy of her words.

"I just… I don't…" she stopped, clearly frustrated, and her lip came out in a pout. He had to clamp his teeth down on his lip to keep a smile from forming on his face.

"God… Eric, it's broken. You're a man… please fix it!" The words came out in a rush, her frustration coloring every word.

With that, the pipes gave a loud creak, the water gushing out increasing ten fold. As it did, it sprayed her directly in her face, catching her off guard and knocking her flat on her backside. She gave a small, surprised squeak and sat there a few seconds after, simply staring at the pipes. Her face was a mix of anger, surprise, and just a hint of desperation.

He couldn't be sure, but he thought he saw tears come to her eyes, but he quickly shook that thought aside. There was too much water surrounding her face to tell the difference and to add to that, Calleigh Duquesne very, very rarely cried. He doubted that the rupture of a water pipe would dissolve her to tears.

He acted then, going over to her and with little effort picking her up off the floor and placing her onto her feet. She looked up at him and nodded without words, moving to the side as he went in to inspect the damage. Kneeling, he picked up the towel and clamped the leak as best could. He peered closely and a mere few moments later, he quietly asked for the wrench that lay on the counter on top of a dishtowel. With a few turns of the wrench, the rushing of the water stopped and he took his hands off of the pipe, dropping the soaked towel with a heavy flop onto the water laden floor. He stood, shook off his hands and finally turned to look for Calleigh, his job completed. He found her in one of the kitchen chairs, sitting, her hands bunched in her lap and her head lowered to her lap as well.

He spoke for the first time then with a soft "hey" as he moved toward her, his shoes squeaking on the wet linoleum. When he reached her, he put a hand underneath her chin and gently turned it toward him, her eyes finally meeting his.

His brow furrowed, he saw her chin shaking and her eyes red rimmed as she held back what seemed to be embarrassed tears.

He kneeled in front of her, his shoes once again making a loud squeak on the floor.

He spoke with compassion in his voice and also a sense of joy to try to lighten the mood.

She spoke in a rush then, her cheeks turning a light pink with a slight shake to her voice.

"Oh, God, Eric, I'm such an idiot! I tried to fix it, and then it only got worse and I got the wrench and then it just got everywhere and then I tired to fix it again and it only made it worse and then I called you and I'm so sorry that I woke you up on your day off for this. I mean, I'm a CSI for God's sake. The goddamn ballistics expert for crying out loud. I can talk about striations and calibers all day but I can't fix a water pipe and…!"

She broke off as the chuckle that Eric had been holding in since he had arrived broke out of his mouth, color the air around them.

"Calleigh, really, it's no big deal. It happens- life happens. And if I remember correctly, this is also your day off so it's okay, really. You didn't exactly deserve this. I'm happy to help- I'm happy that you called me."

She looked down again at her hands, then looked up at his again.

"Really?" she asked her voice small and still uncertain.

He simply nodded his reply and with a relieved sigh, she stood.

She suddenly gained her confident stride back, a smile breaking out on her face as she walked by him to grab the towel out of from underneath the wrench that still lay on the counter. She turned back toward him, attempting to gain some semblance of dignity back as she tried to dab the water from her still dripping face.

He laughed again and stepped toward her, motioning for her to give him the towel. As she handed him the towel, he closed the remaining distance between them and gently wiped her face, the droplets gathering on the soft cotton. She smiled at him then, a gentle, thankful smile.

It was then that he fully took in her appearance. As his eyes took her in, he couldn't help but rake them down her body as well. She was wet, he observed, drenched even, and the soft black cotton tank top and gym shorts that she wore hugged her body very tightly and left very little to the imagination.

With what he hoped was an inaudible gulp, he willed himself to keep focused on the job at hand- simply ridding her of any obtrusive water upon her face.

Before he knew it, however, his hands seemed to work of their own volition and suddenly the towel was gone, placed on the counter perhaps, he didn't remember ,and instead of the towel, his fingers traced the skin of her cheek bones, slid over the top of her forehead and pushed a strand of stray, wet hair back that was blocking his view of her eyes. The eyes that were currently locked with his, questioning, but also sharing with him intensity that he couldn't explain.

His fingertips traced their way down to her lips, skimmed her jaw and rested where her jaw met the graceful line of her neck.

She was looking at him, her mouth slightly open, eyes hooded, and he could physically see her fighting with herself to ignore the sensation that he knew she felt because he did as well.

They stood there for a long moment, his fingers still moving lightly over her skin, itching to move over the rest of her body. They remained silent, only looking, gazes locked.

She broke the silence only seconds later, his name falling from her lips with a slight whimper, her eyes finally falling from his eyes to his lips. He took what he hoped was an invitation as soon as it was offered, his mouth surging on to her own.

The first kiss was passionate but chaste, lip to lip, and he held there for a moment, unsure of what he'd just done, afraid that he'd crossed a boundary, ruined a friendship that he valued above all else.

The fears were dashed, however, when he felt her hands rush up to his chest, her hands gripping the front of his shirt, her lips moving against his. He deepened the kiss immediately, his tongue rushing to meet hers in a fury of passion. Their breathing was all that filled the kitchen air as he moved his hands to her hair, running his fingers over what he could grip, marveling that even at its most messy, tangled moment, he loved the feel of her hair against his hands.

They embraced in the middle of her kitchen, lost in the moment, neither willing it to end. His ears picked up another sound along with their breathing and he struggled to pull himself out of his haze, as torturous as it was, so he could identify the sound.

He only realized that it was them, moving in the pool of water, when he felt the hard wood of the table at the back of his thighs.

He broke the kiss then, ignoring her whine, pulling back to look Calleigh in the eye, his hands coming to rest on her cheeks, searching.

What he found there was shocking- need, lust, want, desire- it was all there for him. She let out a small, strangled "please" and he barely registered nodding before her lips were on his again. He felt himself laying back on the table, the kiss never breaking, as she crawled onto the table to join him.


	2. Chapter 2

Hey guys! Thaks for the great reviews- sory it's taken so long for met to get this out, it's finals week and it's been a bit crazy. Anyway, just wanted to say that while I don't think that is is "R" or "M" rating worthy, I thought it best to warm you that there is some sexual content, albeit, not graphic. Anyway, here you go! Enjoy!

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The noise in the room was at a minimum- their breathing, the creaking of the table under their combined weight, and the slight drip of water still escaping the pipe were all that invaded Eric's ears. He was more focused on the sensation and feel of the woman who was currently coming to lay upon him. As he kissed her, or more aptly, the other way around, he felt her straddle his torso, her legs coming to wrap around his legs that were currently hanging off the table starting at the knee.

She came to rest in a very precarious position, sitting upright, but her torso was currently flat upon his, her breasts flush against his chest. Her hands were gentle and soothing, stroking along the contours of his cheeks as he had been doing to her only mere moments before, occasionally drifting to his hair, her fingers stroking in small circles. Her fingers were feather light but her lips were another story. She kissed him with incredibly intensity, trapping his bottom lips with her teeth worrying it slightly, and then releasing it only to soothe it with her tongue before delving full on between the seam of his lips to tangle her tongue with his.

As he kissed her back, trying to match her intensity with one of his own, his hands came to rest on her hips, his fingers gripping them tightly, the hard tips of them gritting into the skin and leaving their mark. When he began to feel her rock her hips against his, he dug them in even harder, bringing a gasp out of her mouth, causing her to release his lips for a moment.

He took the moment to break his lips away from hers completely, barely even gave her time to register the complete lack of contact, before he moved his hands rapidly, moving to cup the side of her face, turn her head, and find the side of her neck, or more aptly, her pulse point, and come crashing down upon it. He suckled there for a second, sucking in bits of skin, nipping lightly, before moving over an inch or so to explore the sensitive underside of her jaw, the spot behind her ear that sent her breathing and heartbeat through the roof. When he clamped down on the lobe of her ear, his tongue sweeping over it softly, the loudest moan yet broke out of her mouth that sent waves of pleasure and anticipation straight to his groin. The action brought about her own reaction as she unconsciously brought her hips down to grind against his.

He broke his lips away from her neck then, the sudden bolt of pleasure causing his head to rear back, nearly smacking the hard wood on the table, clamp his eyes shut and groan, his fingers biting particularly hard into her hips.

Calleigh looked at him then, her lips opening to reveal glazed eyes, her smile hazy with pleasure, her cheeks flushed.

A low chuckled emanated from her throat, her hands coming up to stroke lightly over his parted, panting lips. As she did, his mouth caught her index finger in his mouth, suckling gently, his teeth holding onto it lightly. A soft gasp interrupted her laughter, the action arousing her even further, but she kept focused on his face, leaning in to his ear, her breath hot on the side of his face.

"You like that?" She asked, breaking the silence that had washed over them during their session on the table.

Her accent was thick, heavy, her tone dripping with seductive desire. He released her finger with a smile, thrusting his hips up to tell her how much he was enjoying himself, and trailed his hands down the sides of her body, his hands leaving her hips to skim the wet fabric that covered her body.

His fingers found their way underneath the fabric of her shirt, stroking the hot skin there and she locked her eyes with his then, her playful nature quickly dispatched as something else moved in her. Her eyes grew darker, the lines of her lips went flat, and before he knew it, her lips were back on his again as she once again kissed him with intensity, but this time, it was… different. More primal, more… meaningful? She kissed him like a woman in possessed, like a woman starving… like a woman…

In love.

His thoughts never got there however, as she started shedding clothing, his and hers, the articles disappearing at an alarming rate. They took their turns with each other, stroking and sighing, bringing each other up and down until they became one, complete, a whole unit for the first time.

The act wasn't the most lengthy she'd ever had, but it was the most pleasurable, the most interesting: brutal and yet gentle, lustful and yet she was one-hundred percent emotionally invested. They were a paradox, wrapped in each other's arms, working together as a means to an end as they strove for release.

It arrived for them in a rush, almost simultaneously, and they collapsed against the table again, his head giving a loud 'thunk' as he lay boneless, his skin sticky against the surface of the table.

She did the same, her body collapsing on top of his, her head upon his chest. At some point during their frenzy, her hands had become locked with his, their fingers intertwined. They stayed like that even then, their hands down at their sides. She was afraid to let go, but then again, so was he. He was afraid that this had been some elaborate fantasy, something that he would wake up from ,aroused and frustrated, aching for more.

Her sigh of relaxation and contentment brought him out of his revere, however, and he brought his head up to kiss her lightly on the crown of her head.

He felt her smile against his chest. They lay there for a few more moments in comfortable silence before he felt her stir. It was in this moment that Eric felt the words that had been long buried come to the surface. He fought to keep them down but for some reason, they bubbled up from his lips.

It was as he disentangled his right hand from her left to bring her face up even with his, his fingers stroking her hair out of her face that he heard them with his own ears.

"God, Calleigh, I love you." He had whispered.

He knew it was probably the wrong thing to say when he felt her go rigid on top of him, her face set, her eyes go wide in panic. He simply stared there, his mouth parted, he assumed, gaping at her like an idiot.

She was down off of the table collecting her clothes in a moment, a long string of excuses already hitting the air and she disappeared off into the bathroom, locking the door behind her. It happened so quickly that he barely had time to sit up, and his face still held the same shocked look he had had when the words came out of his mouth. He simply blinked in rapid succession, his mouth dry.

He realized then that he could have just supremely fucked his whole relationship with Calleigh- he'd certainly just ruined one hell of a moment.

He groaned, putting his head in his hands as he sat up on the table. He found his boxers and slightly damp clothes and haphazardly put them on. He went to the bathroom door and heard the shower on through the thin panel.

Tentatively he knocked, but he knew he wouldn't get an answer. He scratched his head, horribly confused as to where this left them. He had no idea how to handle her behavior, no idea how to handle her advances, the subsequent action… and now this?

He was in shock, he told himself, and he would figure this out later. At his apartment. Alone…

Maybe with some booze.

He walked out of her apartment, first checking the pipe that he had fixed, and then shut the door behind him, looking at the bathroom door once more in hopes that she was just showering, in a hurry to kiss him before he left. But she didn't- he knew she didn't want to.

He left without another word, another glance, and got in his car and drove back to his apartment.

As soon as she heard the door lick softly, she emerged from the bathroom, clad in her towel. As she heard him leave, a heavy sigh broke from her lips, her head coming down to hang.

The tears came streaking down her face quickly, her shaky knees bucking behind her as she slid down the wall beside her bathroom, only feet away from the kitchen, her eyes flicking to the table where moments earlier she'd mauled her partner and best friend, acting on the desires that she'd hidden away for months, or years, she didn't know anymore, not really.

What she did know is that he had scared her- his openness, his willingness to start something, to try with her. And God, she…

She felt a sob build in her throat but refused to let it break free from her throat. Instead, she buried her head in her hands and took a deep breath. She brought her focused eyes up to survey the kitchen once more seconds later. She would make this right, she told herself, she would make it right and she would fix the mess she had created.

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And that's what had left him awake that night, unable to sleep, the images playing on repeat I his head, on a never-ending loop. He didn't know what to do first, where to go, all that he did know what that something wasn't right, that it needed to be fixed but… With a new determination, a went to his closet and found an old pair of sneakers. He made it to the door in seconds, keys in hand. He began to reach for the door handle when he heard a soft, tentative knock.


	3. Chapter 3

His hand stilled on the door knob as he heard the light tap upon it. He knew it could only be one person and he suddenly felt trepidation and fear low in his stomach, giving his hand a slight tremble. With a shaky breath he opened the door and found the person he had expected at the other end, her head down, her hands down around her midsection combined and moving in a very uncharacteristic gesture of worry as she wrung them.

He spoke her name softly, almost questioning, and at the sound, her head shot up, surprise coloring her features. He took a moment to look at her- her eyes were the first thing that he noticed, red-rimmed and puffy, like she had been crying mere minutes before. She smiled- albeit weakly- and asked if she could come in. He simply nodded and moved out of the way so she could pass him by. She moved passed him rather quickly, avoiding his gaze. He closed the door behind her and followed her into the living room. She stood, and when she saw him come in behind her, she gestured to the sofa. He gave a nod of his head and sat, the trepidation and fear doubling as he studied her. He found the nervousness of her body language un-nerving himself and was silent- he wanted to give her a moment so she could collect her thoughts, so she could possibly shed some light on what had happened earlier in the day. A few seconds passed by and she inhaled shakily and began to speak, her voice uncertain.

"Eric, I just wanted to come over and apologize for my behavior earlier today. I, uh,"

She gave a nervous chuckle, running her hand through her hair, then bringing her hands back together to continue their nervous gesture.

" I don't know what came over me. I should have never acted like that- it was totally unprofessional and it- I- compromised our partnership and I just- I'm hoping that we can forget it and move past it and get back to where we need to be- as colleagues and friends."

Her peace spoken, she exhaled and for the first time since she had gotten there, she met his eyes, a hopeful look radiating out of them.

Her words hit him hard in the stomach and he closed his eyes at the sudden feeling. For a second he couldn't breathe and they sat like that for a long moment, silence booming in their ears. He could feel her peering at him and her gaze made him uncomfortable, suffocated. When he opened his mouth to answer her, a laugh found its way out lips- more of a harsh bark than any sort of humorous indication- that surprised both of them. He had no control, however, and for a few seconds that's all that existed in the silence- his harsh, humorless peels of laughter.

It alarmed her, sent her eyes wide and her mouth agape. She stood, confused, simply looking at him, her brows furrowed and dread setting upon her body like a blanket. She had prepared herself for anger, indignation, sadness… but this?

After his laughter subsided, he brought his eyes to meet hers and they bore into her. She swallowed at the look he gave her- intense and angry, questioning- and waited for the on set of emotion to begin.

"Eric-" She said softly, an apologetic tone coming through but he didn't let her finish.

"What I don't get, Cal," He bit out her name and she winced at the sound, "Is what exactly I'm supposed to forget. Is it the whole morning within itself- the favor I did for you on my day off- how YOU came onto ME, or is it the fact that I told you that I loved you after we had sex and you promptly got up off of the table and left me without even a goodbye? You have to let me know because right now I'm a little more than confused." With that, he got up off the couch, running a frustrated hand over his closely shaven head, getting ready to exit the room, his anger reaching a boiling point all too quickly. At her soft utterance of his name, he spun on her, his eyes blazing.

"No, Calleigh," he said, harshly, "I don't think you know what you're asking me to do here." He gestured to her wildly, "I love you. I love YOU and you- what exactly? Fucked me, called it good, left to go shower any evidence of our time spent together, and now you want us to go back to normal? It's not going to happen! It's all or nothing here, Cal! I can't do this- this- whatever it is you're asking me to do. I can't pretend that this didn't happen, that we didn't happen, and I don't know how you can!"

She closed her eyes as she felt tears beginning to gather in her eyes and an icy clock form in her throat. She felt her stomach clench at the familiar stirring within her. When she spoke again, her voice sounded vulnerable and shaken to her own ears.

"Eric, I'm sorry. I don't know how many times I can say it before you believe it but I was irrational- this is my fault, I made the rash decision and I understand you're upset-"

He broke in, his voice booming in the small apartment,

"I don't think upset covers it. I'm angry, I'm- I'm- I told you…" His voice trailed off, his tone tinged with a sadness that was quickly trying to overlap his anger. He swallowed hard.

"This morning, I had you. I had you for the first time and it was everything that I've dreamed of. You were more than what I could've asked for- perfect and beautiful and free like I've never seen you before- and you want to take that away from me? No. I won't let you. Be sorry, try to take it back, act like it didn't happen but you won't take that memory from me. You never will."

And the tears came full up in her eyes as he expressed himself to her- his words evoking the memory that she had tried to block out for the past hours of the day. She closed her eyes and felt the hot tears roll down her cheeks as the situation finally came crashing down fully upon her shoulders. This was a man- a wonderful man- standing in front of her- exposed and hurting- expressing his love and devotion to her and she wanted it, wanted him so badly in that moment that it scared her- scared her even more than it had this morning.

"I don't know what to do," she spoke softly, her voice wavering, sobs threatening to over take her. She pushed them down, willing herself to speak.

"I just want to make this right, Eric, I want to make us right." She finished the sentence in a whisper, bringing her eyes to meet his once again.

He took a step toward her, pleased when she didn't immediately retreat.

"Then tell me what you feel, Calleigh, tell me: Do you want to forget today?"

Silence filled the room as she looked at him, pensive, tears trailing silently down her cheeks. He took another step, bringing himself a mere step from her own body.

"Or more importantly: Can you? I"

The sob broke from her then, her chest heaving with it. He took the final step then, reaching out to touch her and was more than dismayed when she took several steps back toward the door, her hands up.

"I-" she spoke hurriedly, dismayed herself, "I can't do this. I'm sorry."

She turned, her hand reaching the door knob and giving it a swift turn.

He knew that this was it- if he couldn't reach her now, then it was done and the one thing- the one person- he knew he loved above all else would be walking out of his life forever.

"Fine!" He yelled, "Walk out, Calleigh, run away! But know this: I would have done anything for you, would have loved you unlike anyone else- hell, I do! But if you're too much of a coward for that then that's fine- go. Leave. But know that you passed up the one person who- who-"

She turned around to look at him, grief evident in her every pore as she fought with herself, fought with her fear.

"I love you, Calleigh," he said, defeat blatant in his tone, "And the worst part about it is that I know you love me, too. I saw it this morning, felt it, and you're running away."

She looked at him then, really looked at him then, fully exposed to his gaze. She felt naked before him, even more naked than she had been that morning with him, and felt another sob rise in her throat as his words echoed in her ears.

"I don't- I- Eric… I can't do this, get hurt, get… again, and I…" Her words sounded weak even to her own ears- he was right. She loved him, had loved him for months- and if she were honest with herself, years- and he was offering that love to her, his arms wide open, his heart exposed for them both to see. She felt stupid, insipid, juvenile, and above all, terrified at the prospect.

He simply shook his head, hung his head and began to turn, done with the conversation and his pleading. He knew when to fold, he knew when he had lost.

At the sight of his back, though, more fear and anxiety spread through her than ever before as the gravity of his words hit her full force in the gut. Done. Finished, love gone and forgotten,. The fear of losing him suddenly outweighed the fear of having him.

She shut the door then, the soft click resounding in his ears. He thought she'd gone and he let the grief wash over him then, tears pricking his eyes.

In four large, hurried steps she had covered the distance between her and his retreating form and placed her hands on his forearm. At the feel of her, he turned, surprise evident in his body language. He barely even had time to say her name before her lips crashed down upon his, rendering him speechless.

She kissed him then, tears running full force down her face. She kissed him with a passion unparalleled to any she had even given and felt her heart thud heavy in her chest as his arms wound themselves around her to cup the back of her head, tangling in her hair. Hers came around to land on his chest, gripping his shirt, holding on for dear life as she poured everything that she was feeling into the kiss. She trailed her tongue across his lip, heart soaring as he allowed her entry, his tongue tangling with hers.

She broke away when emotion stirred in her and a sob broke from her lips. He placed his hands on her cheeks, looking at her as she cried.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry…" She sobbed as he kissed her forehead, "I'm sorry- I love you, I love you, I do, I just…I'm so scared of losing you- I want you. God, Eric…"

At the sound of the words, he closed his eyes, reveling in the admission. Hr reassured her that he was right here, would always be there and felt her nod against his chest in understanding.

He shushed her and she was barely aware when they moved to the couch. He laid her down, gathered her in his arms, and tucked her head into his chest as she cried. She curled her arms around him, amazed at the feel of simply being with him, feeling his body next to hers.

He told her again that he loved her as she cried and kissed her hair, letting her sob away her fear and frustration and uncertainty. He felt her lull into sleep after she was spent, grabbed the blanket from the back of the sofa and closed his eyes with her, holding her even tighter to him.

When he woke to his phone going off the next morning, he looked at her, still sleeping peacefully. He answered it, getting the location of where they needed to be, and promised to be there as soon as he was able.

He shut the phone, looked down upon her and smiled warmly, relaying the events in his head. He only hoped that that morning she still felt assured that her decision was the right one, that she could be his.

He said her name softly until she stirred, bringing a finger to trace along her cheek.

When she woke, she met his eyes, a soft groan escaping her lips. She simply sat though, looking at him, her clear green eyes holding no fear, no uncertainty. Just resolve, devotion, love. For him.

She kissed his lips softly after he told her where they needed to be. She simply nodded but looked at him, one question in her mind.

"Five more minutes?" She whispered, burrowing into the warmth of his chest.

He smiled, his thoughts reassured, and wrapped his arms around her, bringing his face to the cradle where her neck met the slope her shoulder. He placed a warm kiss there and closed his eyes, inhaling the scent of her and nodded in agreement.

Five more minutes? Five more minutes he could definitely do.


End file.
